Fuel Subsidy: Labour Begins Nationwide Strike Wednesday

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared a nationwide strike with effect from Wednesday over the increase in the pump price of fuel as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy.

In his inaugural speech, Tinubu had announced that “fuel subsidy is gone.”

This had triggered panic-buying across filling stations nationwide.

Two days later, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) directed its retail stations to sell petrol between N488 and N570 per litre across the country.

The NLC had rejected the review and demanded that pump price should be reverted to the old rate.

On Wednesday, the federal government invited Labour leaders for talks at Aso Rock, but the discussion was deadlocked.

However, Dele Alake, a spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, had told reporters that the meeting was fruitful.

Alake spoke while he was flanked by the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele and Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPCL.

But briefing journalists at the end of NLC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Friday, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the president, said the union had agreed on a nationwide strike.

“The NEC in session directed that the leadership of the NLC should be cautious of negotiations with people without portfolios.

“It is destructive; and until the government is properly constructed and the people who will negotiate with Labour are with mandate and capacity to convince the government of the day, such negotiations may not be valid wherever.

“Consequently, the NLC decided that if by Wednesday next week, the NNPCL, a private limited liability company that illegally announced a price regime in the oil sector, refuses to reverse its decision, the union and all its affiliates will withdraw their services and commence protest nationwide until this is complied with.

“The NLC NEC directs all state councils and industrial unions to commence mobilisation from this moment,” the union stated.

-Dailytrust